Water imbalance and consecutive electrolyte disturbances are common in the postoperative course of neurosurgical patients after pituitary surgery. Diabetes insipidus (DI) may complicate the postoperative course in as many as 30% of patients. Early and accurate diagnosis of water and electrolyte disturbances postoperatively is important for an adequate fluid and drug administration. However, identifying the causes is challenging/ ambiguous in clinical practice. Levels of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) might contribute to a straightforward diagnosis, though, its measurement is cumbersome. ADH is derived from a larger precursor peptide along with copeptin, which is a more stable peptide directly mirroring the production of ADH. Copeptin can be assayed readily in plasma. Aim: To investigate whether copeptin can accurately diagnose postoperative disturbances of water homeostasis (i.e. Diabetes insipidus and SIADH) in a cohort of patients undergoing intracranial tumor surgery.

Further study details as provided by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland:

Primary Outcome Measures:

diagnostic accuracy, i.e. difference of copeptin levels between patients without and patients with postoperative DI, of copeptin in the diagnosis of water disturbance in neurosurgical patients [ Time Frame: daily during hospital stay of the patient, on average 1 week ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

daily blood sampling will allow to diagnose DI or SIADH during hospital stay. Copeptin levels will be compared between patients with uncomplicated postoperative course and patients with development of DI or SIADH.

Patients undergoing transphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection and patients with transcranial surgery of tumors close to the pituitary gland and hypothalamus.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

15 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Sampling Method:

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients undergoing transphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection and patients with transcranial surgery of tumors close to the pituitary gland and hypothalamus.

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

All consecutive patients who undergo surgery for an intra- or suprasellar lesion, either by craniotomy or by transphenoidal resection.

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01465672